Las Vegas — For Alexandre Pantoja, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is “the new Colosseum,” and he fought like it on Saturday.
Pantoja (30-5), the UFC’s reigning flyweight champion, earned the fourth defense of his 125lb title by submitting Kai Kara-France, part of a run that includes victories over Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg, and Brandon Royval. Not to mention Brandon Moreno, who Pantoja defeated to claim his belt.
That has the Brazilian thinking of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. “I think right now I deserve a better position it the pound-for-pound too,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press following Saturday’s fight.
In a rarity, the UFC already has Pantoja’s next opponent selected. Joshua Van defeated Brandon Royval immediately prior to Pantoja’s fight, and was brought into the cage to face off with the champ. It’s a match-up that has “The Cannibal” excited to say the least.
“This guy’s going to be my toughest challenger,” exclaimed Pantoja, who noted that when he was Van’s age, he was working in a restaurant cleaning dishes, not fighting for a world championship. “He’s young, he’s hungry, and he didn’t make wars like I did in the past.”
“I made my 35th professional fight tonight. That’s a lot. A lot of wars I passed through with a lot of very good fighters. The UFC gives me this new guy, I think everybody wants to see no more rematches for me. And I want to fight with that guy too, I want that challenge. Fight with the new blood, new kid, very hungry.”
Having watched a couple of Van’s fights, Pantoja believes Van “is doing an amazing job.” And so come Monday, it’s back to the gym. “I’m no more champion of the world. I’m the challenge, and know who’s my opponent, and I know what I want. I want this belt again.”
Alexandre Pantoja also spoke about being a role model for his gym, American Top Team, where he trains alongside the likes of Kayla Harrison.
“I train very hard all the time, try to be humble, try to be a good champ. Try to be a good example for everybody, especially in my gym,” stated Pantoja. “I don’t want to be a superstar in my gym. I want to show to everybody the right way to be a champ. Respectful, train with everybody, try to help all your training partners. Show my gym how to be a good guy to your coaches. These guys, my coaches, deserve so much appreciation, and some fighters don’t give coaches what they need. Because if you’re good, if you win, you need to bring your coaches with you. You need to show, the people outside deserve a piece of that too.”
Watch the full UFC 317 post-fight press conference with Alexandre Pantoja above.
